Hydraulic clutch



J. CUSTER v Se pt.. 16, 19,41.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH File d Sept. 25, 1939 Patented Sept. 16,-

v v m"-' f- E- lf STATES, [PATEN'll I mnz m z c nm t It I m... Custer, Detroit, Mich. v Application September as. loss, Serial 1v. 200,43:

s (cl. ice-st) This invention relates generally to clutches and more particularly to. hydraulic clutches.

It is an object of the present invention to" provide a new and lmprovedwclutchfor connecting anengine to a load preferably without need of gear transmissions and without damage to the clutch-ortothe engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a v new and improved hydraulic clutch of the character in which liquid acted on by centrifugal force serves as the holding medium betweeniwo relatively movable clutch members.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hydraulic clutch which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become'apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection drawing in which- I Figure 1 is a view shown in centrallongitudinal section of the hydraulic clutch and shown'associated with an engine;

Fig. 2 is a view shown in cross section of the clutch, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-! of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 and taken along the line and in'the direction of the arrows H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of one of the clutch members of the hydraulic clutch;

Figs. 5 and 8 are diagrammatical views shown to aid in the description of operation of the hydraulic clutch.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, the present hydraulic clutch includes an outer hollow casing or drum it, one end wall ll of which is formed by a'flywheel I! to which the drum I. may be rigidly secured by bolts It or if with the accompanying The hollow boss I I is journaled in a 22 which is mounted in sharing container 28 which 1 surrounds the boss It in spaced relation thereto,

the container 28 being rigidly secured to a support II having ,a clearance-aperture 2! for the shaft. H. The outer race of the'g bearing' 23 may be held against an internal shoulder of the bearing container 23 by a nut 28 screwthreaded into the container to prevent end thrust movement of the bearing. Also within the hollow boss II. a liquid sealing, bearing 21 is preferably provided for preventing flow oi liquid outwardly along the shaft II. A quantity of liquid, preferably a liquid of high density is provided in the drum and this liquid, as will later be seen, serves as a medium to utilize centrifugal action.

One'end. portion of the drum II, and, in this instance, the end adjacent the flywheel I2 is pro-' vided with a piuralityof internal blades 2|, spaced equally around the the'blades it being arranged at an angle and all erably in a plane spaced blades being respect to the axis of the ward the flywheel, the blade ends terminate preffrom and substantially parallel to the drum end wall II. The other or opposite ends of the blades 2! terminate ina arranged at the sameangle with plane parallel to and intermediate the drum end .wallsand thus only apartof thedrum'isprodesired the drum and flywheel may'be cast in- 40 tegral. The wall I I of the flywheel is provided with a central hub to which a coupling ll may I be provided and secured for rigidly securing theflywheel to the drive shaft of an engine "L1 vided with blades. Secured on the shaft within theouterdrumisaninnerdrumlihavingits opposite ends paced from the outer drum end walls, the end ,of thedrum ll, disposed toward the flywheel, preferably lying in the plane of terminationof the adjacent. ends of the blades 2t,asshowninFig. 1. v

The inner drum it is provided around its periphery with a plurality of spaced, external blades II which are angularly disposed relative to the axisot the drum It and areirranged at the same angle as the angle of the blades 28 or the outer drum. In the present construction with the outer drum having one end portion provided with internal blades and the inner drum-having an end in close proximity,

portion provided with external blades, the inner and outer drums might be said to be complementary. The blades on the two drums are arranged such that their inner opposed edges are as shown in the On the ends of the inner drum 30 are provided additional blades II which are radially disposed extending toward and in close proximity to the opthrust movement by a nut 2| screw threaded into the outer force to obtain a clutching inner periphery of the drum. 7

the clutching action these radially disposed blades serve to immediately throw the liquid outwardly to obtain quickly the centrifugal force necessary to operate .the clutch, the angularly' blades 3| the inner drum also acting to throw the liquid outwar In operatiom-fa high centrifugal iorce 0 f2 I I 8,856,018 'posite ends of the outer 0n starting 0!- spaced blades on opposite ends of said member and separate from said first-named blades.

3. In a clutch for couplin a driven member to a drive member, a rotatable drum operativcly connected to one of the members and adjacent one end thereo! having a plurality of internal blades, a quantity oi fluid in said drum, a rotor within said drum and operatively connected to tained-f'by rotation of the outer drum"'by the iengine and the liquid between the blades of the two drums is opposed with the result that the inner drum is rotated. 01 course, upon starting 1 there issome slippage between the two drumsv;

which-is desirable, but at high speeds, the centritugal force crowdi'ngthe liquid in opposed directions along aligned passage between the blades will couple the clutch members tosether.

While I have shown and described my inven- 1 tion in detail it is to be understood that the same i is to be limited only by the appended claims .ior many changes may be made without departingv from thespirit and scope of the invention.

1. In a hydraulic clutch for coupling an engine toa load, a rotatable outer drum containing a 1 quantity of liquid. said drum having a plurality of spaced internal blades around the periphery 1 thereof, an inner rotatable drum within said outer drumand havinga plurality of external blades spaced around its periphery, said internal blades extendin substantially to the outer periphery of said inner drum and said external blades extending substantially to the inner perlpheryorsaid cute drum and overlap'n d said.

internal blades. I

7 2. Ahydraulic clutch for coupling an engine to a load comprising; an outer rotatable container havim therein avquantity 0! liquid. said spirall! .-.,the, other or the members said rotor having the periphery of an end portion thereof opposed to the inner edges of said blades, and a plurality of spaced external blades on said rotor and positioned laterally with respect to the internal blades on said drum.

4. 'In a clutch fjor coupling a driven member to a drive memberga rotatable drum for connection with one of the members, said drum having a plurality of internal blades spaced about the inner periphery thereof, said blades extending longitudinally of said drum and terminating intermediate the ends thereof, a quantity of fluid in said drum, a rotor within said drum-and connected to the'other of the members, and a plurality oi extern'l longitudinally extending blades on said rotor and laterally positioned with respect to the blades on said drum.

5. In a fluid clutch for coupling a driven mem- I her to a driving member, a rotatable drum for connection to one of the members, a plurality of Spaced internal spiral blades carried by said drum, said blades having ends thereof terminatlng intermediate the ends of the drum, a rotor within said drum and connected to the other 'of the members, a plurality oi spaced external spiral blades carried by said rotor and positioned laterally with respect to the internal blades of said drum, said second-named blades having ends thereof terminating intermediate the ends 0! said rotor and opposed to'said terminal ends of said first named blades. and iiuid in said drum and acted 119011 b! Said blades to establish a driving connection between'said drum and said rotor.

. i v JOHNCUB'I'EB.- 

